This Base Ingratitude
by LoyaulteMeLie
Summary: Missing Scenes from 'The Cogenitor' - can be read as a sequel to 'Inopportune Angel'.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: Star Trek and all its intellectual property belongs to Paramount/CBS. No infringement intended, no money made.**_

The meeting was a first in our history.

I looked around the room. All in it were my colleagues, many my friends. But that day, though many looked at me, few among them would meet my eyes.

There had been a shocking development in our relationship with the Humans aboard _Enterprise_.

Cogenitors are usually shielded from such contacts, being too valuable and vulnerable to be exposed to the risks new ideas can introduce. However, Calla was due to come into season at any time, and thus the cogenitor had to be in constant attendance; and besides, the initial impression of these new friends had been so good that it had hardly seemed possible for any harm to be done.

But harm _was_ done. The Human Chief Engineer, Charles Tucker, had taken it upon himself to become interested in our cogenitor; and having become interested, it seemed that he deemed it his responsibility to teach xem to read, and to fill xyr mind with absurd ideas of what xe had a right to demand from life.

It was hardly surprising, then, that when the Human recklessly exposed xem to more new concepts in the space of a day than xe had encountered in xyr lifetime, xe had been thrown into such utter confusion that xe had actually demanded the Earth ship give xem sanctuary.

Well. For all that the shock of the incident was extreme, and could have ended Vissia-Earth relations there and then had our Captain Drennik been a less moderate man than he is, he had just spent several days in the company of the Human Captain Archer, and already held him in high esteem.

"I think him a sensible man, as well as an honest one," Drennik said in the council that was convened to consider our response to the cogenitor's unprecedented action. "We have talked with him and explained our position, and I have asked him personally to consider well before he makes his decision."

Tevar and Calla had, of course, been present during that discussion over their cogenitor's fate. They trusted Drennik's judgement, but now their faces were grey with fear. Their cogenitor was on the Human ship, and who knew what unknown dangers faced xem there? Who could tell how carefully xe would be guarded, where xe would sleep, what strange, possibly dangerous food and drink xe would be given? Who could tell whether the Humans would treat xem with kindness? And what if xe became ill?

Naturally, no-one in the room could be unmoved. There was much indignation, though it was reined in out of respect for the captain's evident regard for and trust in his Human counterpart. We had received the strangers as friends, welcoming them to our ship – and this base ingratitude was how they repaid us!

Many eyes, of course, turned towards me. It was common knowledge that other than the captain, I was the one who had had the closest contact with the Humans. Or with one of them, at least. That made me an expert, of sorts; and understanding was a thing that all sought.

It was hardly surprising that for some, it also made me an object of scorn. The lack of respect shown by the Human engineer was shocking, completely overturning the initially good impressions the Humans had made. He had come to our ship, been welcomed and trusted, and had repaid that welcome and that trust by seeking out a cogenitor in secret and corrupting xem, filling xyr thoughts with dreams of things that could never be.

Cogenitors are rare. Few are born, and those few are cherished and guarded. We would never have permitted xem to be troubled by such ideas; xe could not have been risked climbing mountains!

And I – I had bedded with one of the Humans. With a man whom Tucker worked with and called friend. This was not a secret, and up till now it was nothing of which I had been ashamed, or knew any reason why I should be. But now shame filled me, warring with the memories that still held an aching pleasure, so that I hardly knew how to meet the eyes that turned to me.

But still, silence would serve no-one. Moreover, if any word of mine would bring comfort to Calla and Tevar, what right had I to withhold it?

"I believe that the Humans will do what is right," I said, though my throat was tight. "I believe they are misinformed rather than ill-intentioned."

"Was Tucker well-intentioned when he lied to us and deceived us?" Oloma demanded angrily. "Did any of us behave in such a way on _their_ ship, going where we had no right to go and causing so much trouble?"

It was, of course, a rhetorical question. Vissians are a friendly, gregarious, law-abiding people, but though we are intensely curious about other species we would not dream of interfering with their culture or trespassing in their private rooms.

"It seems he believed the cogenitor was being 'oppressed'," said Drennik heavily. "His intentions were good, in Human terms."

A babble of voices cried that the engineer had no right to make such judgments, let alone to act on them, and that Captain Archer must restore xem to us immediately!

Tevar nodded. His and Calla's hands were gripping together as though each was all that was keeping the other from drowning.

"Captain Archer _must_ listen to us." His voice was less confident than his words; he was trying desperately to convince both himself and his wife. "He did not seem a bad man. They simply do not understand our ways. They _cannot_ keep xem. They cannot!"

Calla shook her head. I suspected she was beyond speech.

An angry chorus of agreement filled the room. "And if they try, we will board their ship and take xem back by force!" someone shouted.

That in itself was shocking enough to bring a sudden silence, but soon there were nods and grunts of agreement. The Humans could not, by any stretch of the imagination, be permitted to abscond with our cogenitor. Even aside from the consequences to xyr couple, what under the stars would the Humans do with xem? Where would xe go? How would xe live? What would happen to xem when the novelty of climbing mountains wore off, and xe was so far from xyr own people?

As I had known they must, Drennik's eyes turned to me. "You will hold the weapons systems in readiness," he said. His gaze was sad, but resolute. "We will hope the Humans see reason, but if they do not..."

He did not elaborate.

He had no need to.

=/\=

Time passed.

There was no response from _Enterprise_.

Everyone on the ship was waiting for news. Our helmswoman sat with hands ready on the controls, eyes on the readouts from that silent silver shape opposite us, tense for the first hint of movement. I sat, just as tense, my hands ready to bring our weapons online. I already knew where I would need to strike, and exactly how much power I would need to use. Enough to disable the warp engines briefly, no more; why should all the Humans die because one among their number was a fool?

When the ship was immobilised, Drennik would demand the cogenitor be surrendered to us peacefully. If the demand was not complied with, and the Humans found some way to block our transporter, I would lead the boarding party.

I knew that if we boarded _Enterprise_ , they would resist. Whether they believed our cause justified or not, they would follow their captain's orders. And if Jonathan Archer decided that his conscience required him to give our cogenitor sanctuary, our assault would confirm his fears and strengthen his resistance. He would order that sanctuary defended with force.

And I knew who would be ordered to command the defence against our boarding party.

 _(Memory rushed over me in waves. Heat. Lust. Pleasure.)_

Calla had sought me out after the meeting. Her eyes were swollen with weeping. "What use is xe to them?" she demanded. "My baby. My baby!"

Tevar put his arms around her. I could catch the sharp citrus-smell of her season starting. The timing of the theft could hardly have been worse.

"You were with their armoury officer," he said hoarsely. "Was he a good man? Was he kind?"

It was a question I had been asking myself since the news broke. Up till then it had never occurred to me to ask it, but now my mind churned among memories as painful as they were sweet, trying to find some evidence of the brain behind the body that had given mine such pleasure.

Behind the reserved surface of Malcolm Reed had lurked an initially rather shy man with a surprisingly sly sense of humour. A sensualist. A man with a passion for his trade, and for the tools of his trade.

And not only for his trade...

"He is a good officer," I said. "His staff love him." Of that much I was sure. Humans are like enough to us for me to read the high respect and affection in which he was held in his domain.

"And honourable," I added. He had made no secret of his desire for me, but had wished to follow the Human way of wooing a female's interest. His astonishment at my more direct and sensible proposal had even showed me something unexpectedly like humility; he had been in doubt of his own ability to succeed.

The night that followed had been a revelation. I had been purring with satisfaction ever since, my body's hunger slaked. Now, all that satisfaction was turned to ashes, burned up by the shock and anxiety of what had happened.

How I wished I could honestly say more. But though I had fleeting impressions of a man who was capable of both goodness and kindness, I had also and most definitely sensed the single-minded ruthlessness of a predator. At the time this had been intensely exciting, and to do him justice Malcolm had spent all his skills and energy on ensuring that both of us enjoyed equal pleasure. I had no fear of him then or now. But still, the memory of that ruthlessness lingered...

They thanked me, while the poverty of the comfort I could offer lodged in my throat like a fishbone.

And then they went away, and I went back to the Bridge, and we were all left once more to the waiting.


	2. Chapter 2

_Dead._

"Dead ... dead..."

The word runs around the ship, travelling outwards in expanding circles of disbelief and horror.

 _How did this happen?_

I am the Head of Security. It is my duty to investigate, for certainly such a thing merits the closest scrutiny. The safety of the ship and everyone aboard is my responsibility, and my report will be prominent in the accounts of how such a disaster could possibly come about.

I go immediately to the Chief Engineer's quarters. Captain Drennik meets me there, his face set and carved with grief.

Even before we go in, I can hear Calla. The sound makes my belly clench.

She is crouched in a corner, her face hidden. Tevar her husband kneels behind her, his arms around her, his face pressed against her back. He is silent but she cries out for both of them, rocking and wailing for the babe they have been denied.

The door to the cogenitor's room is open.

It takes me a moment to nerve myself to walk to it and look in. Drennik is behind me, silent in support. For the present, there is nothing either of us can usefully to say to either Tevar my cousin, or Calla his wife. I am not sure there ever will be.

Cogenitors are precious, and always kept in comfort. The room is clean and warm, and there is a tray on the sideboard with food on it: a good meal, with delicacies Calla had ordered from the galley as a treat. Although she did not understand – none of us understood! – she is a kind woman, and was doing her best to console the cogenitor for being so mistreated and deceived.

I was present when the Human captain returned xem to us. His face was grave and troubled. He apologised for the disruption and dismay his officer had caused, and hoped it would not cause serious damage to Human-Vissian relations. Drennik, in his turn, was gracious; thanked him for making the right decision, as difficult as it must have been for him, and assured him the cogenitor would be forgiven for xyr small folly. Calla and Tevar wept over xem and led xem straight back to the privacy and safety of their rooms.

Xe never left them again. And now xe will never fulfil xyr purpose and help Calla have a child, for xe lies dead on the floor, xyr open eyes staring at the ceiling in pain and reproach. Xe stripped the protective housing from the wiring behind a communication panel and plunged xyr hand into it, ripping live connections. The system malfunction sounded an alarm on the Science Station, and may the Sisters forgive me, I think I knew even then that the last act of the tragedy had come...

The voltage flung xem halfway across xyr room. Xe was most likely dead before xe hit the floor.

"They never foresaw this." Drennik speaks so softly I can hardly hear him. His voice is full of pain and anger. I do not know whether he is excusing the Humans or blaming them or both, and maybe he does not either.

We trusted the Humans.

May the Sisters forgive both of us, we even liked them.

 _(... Heat. Lust. Pleasure.)_

Now we must turn back to Vissia and make our report. And somehow Calla and Tevar will have to rebuild their lives without dreams.

And somehow both Drennik and I will have to find a way to live with ourselves.

At this moment, I am not sure I can even begin to imagine how I will do it.

=/\=

The formalities have been got through somehow.

Tevar and Calla are under the doctor's care. Around us the whole ship is hushed, the air darkened with their grief.

It is time for me to rest.

This is the moment I have been dreading. If I can survive this, I can survive anything.

The door to my room hisses back.

My bed is neatly made. The clean sheets are not rumpled, the pillows not tossed in disorder.

I sit on the floor opposite, my back supported by the wall.

The room is completely silent, but still I hear the echoes off the walls: panting breaths, moans of pleasure, grunts of effort. My belly roils with nausea and appalled arousal.

I am moving before I know it.

The mattress is heavy, but I pull it from the bed as though it weighed nothing. Then I drag it out of the room and down the corridor. It is awkward to manage one-handed (the other arm is clamped around the pillows), but the strength of fury fuels me.

People step aside to let me pass. Some avert their eyes.

There is a cargo transporter near the ventral docking port. I do not look at the port door as I haul the mattress past it.

The transporter room is empty. I drag the mattress onto the pad and drop the pillows on top of it.

Someone has summoned Drennik. He comes into the room and watches while my trembling fingers set the co-ordinates.

The bedding vanishes in a long gleam of gold that blurs in my eyesight. Somewhere far out in the infinite cold, its atoms disperse.

Tears are no relief. They bring neither resolution nor absolution.

' _They never foresaw this.'_ He does not say it, but it is in his embrace.

Should _we_ have foreseen it? Should we have been more wary?

The safety of the ship is my responsibility. And while tragedy struck, I allowed myself to forget that. I am, at least in part, responsible – in omission, if not in commission. And I will never forgive myself.

In my heart of hearts I know that I share this burden of guilt with my partner in passion. If I know anything of Malcolm Reed other than his body, I know that somewhere he too blames himself for what we did, for forgetting our first sacred duty: the care of our ships and our comrades.

I must live with myself somehow. He must do the same. As must do all the victims of this tragedy of good intentions, save the one who escaped xyr destiny.

And if I ever meet Charles Tucker again, I will kill him.

With my bare hands.

 **The End.**


End file.
